The present invention relates generally to the field of label printers, such as those used for food preparation and inventory freshness. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tilting touch screen for a label printer and an improved label printer with such a tilting touch screen.
Restaurants are required to keep track of stored and/or refrigerated food products and ingredients. Label printers are provided in the food preparation/storage area of a restaurant and are used to create “freshness labels” for each package of food or ingredients which specify, among other things, the product/ingredient name, the arrival date and expiration date (and optionally time) for each package. A menu database is created for each class of food items used by a restaurant (sandwiches, salads, drinks, etc.), and the ingredients for each item are provided in the database. The menu database is downloaded to the printer terminal along with parameters for label size, format, expiration dates (or freshness periods), and the like. The label printer may include two print mechanisms, one for printing freshness labels and the other for printing nutritional information, ingredient labels, coupons, receipts, or the like.
Typical prior art label printers used to print freshness labels such as the Avery Dennison Monarch 9415 are expensive, have a large footprint, and provide unfavorable screen angles and features.
It would be advantageous to provide an improved label printer that is cheaper, smaller, easier to use, and easier to maintain than prior art label printers.
The methods and apparatus of the present invention provide the foregoing and other advantages.